Combined wrench and marking device

ABSTRACT

A marking wrench for hand use has a torque-limiting, over-center type of connection between an operating handle and a remote wrench end pivoted to the handle and engageable with the bolt end of a tubular type headed fitting. The handle fixedly mounts an elongated felt marking pen, whose tip is positioned to one side of the tubular shank of the fitting, in axially spaced relation to the plane of the fitting&#39;&#39;s hex head. Hence when a desired torquing stress is attained and the torque-limiting connection yields the marking tip wipes across the shank beneath the fitting&#39;&#39;s head, thus marking the fitting as being properly torqued up. An arcuate shield is applied to the wrench end in the plane of the marking tip.

United States Patent Lance 51 May 16,1972

[72] lnventor: Christopher James Lance, Royal Oak,

Mich.

[731 Assignee: Ivan F. Belknap, Detroit, Mich. a part interest 22 Filed: July 13, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 54,466

Gill "81/523 Dunham ..81/53 Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Attorney-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belkn'ap [5 7] ABSTRACT A marking wrench for hand use has a torque-limiting, overcenter type of connection between an operating handle and a remote wrench end pivoted to the handle and engageable with the bolt end of a tubular type headed fitting. The handle fixedly mounts an elongated felt marking pen, whose tip is positioned to one side of the tubular shank of the fitting, in axially spaced relation to the plane of the fittings hex head. Hence when a desired torquing stress is attained and the torque-limiting connection yields the marking tip wipes across the shank beneath the fittings head, thus marking the fitting as being properly torqued up. An arcuate shield is applied to the wrench end in the plane of the marking tip.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures P'ATE'NTEBW 16 m2 EMU 1 BF 2 INVENTOR OPHEE JAMES LggCE CHRIST TORNEYS COMBINED WRENCH AND MARKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION it is to be understood that the herein described wrench also has utility in the torquing and marking of other types of re lated elongated stud, bolt or screw member.

2. Description of the Prior Art The US. Pat. to Woods, No. 2,743,638 of May 1, 1956, shows a torque limiting or release wrench of the same general type as the present tool, but lacking the marking means which is an important component of the wrench herein shown and claimed. The US. Pat. to Hines et al., No. 3,009,371 of Nov. 21, 1961, deals with part marking means of highly complex and expensive nature, as in a torque-limiting wrench, but quite incapable of marking a bolt member shank. The same is true ofthe U.S. Pat. to Dunham, No. 2,901,934 of Sept. 1, 1959.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in a combined torque limiting and marking wrench for use in applying special elongated shank bolt or stud-type fittings, as mentioned above, the wrench being constituted by a very few, extremely simple yet reliable operating components. These comprise an elongated operating handle having a torque transmitting wrench arm pivotally mounted thereon and bearing a torque applying wrench head on the outer end of the arm; with a simple over-center pivot device operatively interconnecting the handle and the inner end ofthe arm.

The marking unit takes the form, in effect, of an elongated, in part tubular extension of the tools operating handle, being rigidly secured to the forward end of thelatter, as by a simple weld connection. This connection is made in such manner that the felt marker tip lies in a plane paralleling that of the handle and its wrench arm, but is offset a predetermined distance from that plane to enable the marker tip to swing and engage the fitting shank beneath its hex head.

A set screw connection between a felt marker tip-carrying part and a tubular holder portion of the weld-connected marking unit permits the marker, proper, to be replenished or replaced readily; and the arcuate shield prevents accidental marking of the fitting shank and protects the felt tip. As removably mounted to the handle, the wrench head can be supplied for any size drive, and may also be replaced after wearing out.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS My co-pending application, Ser. No. 681,423, filed Nov. 8, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,471, also an application filed herewith, Ser. No. 54,465 filed July 13, 1970, relates to tools for a generally similar purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the wrench of the invention as applied to the hex head of a tubular stem or shank-type fitting; a shield portion of the wrench being shown in horizontal crosssection;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of the wrench, a showing of the fitting being omitted for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 1, being partially broken away and in vertical cross section on line 3- 3 of FIG. 1, this view showing the wrench in a position of its parts in which its felt-tipped marking element sweeps across the stem of the fitting;

FIG. 4 is an end view, as from the left of FIG. 2, of the wrench and the engaged fitting, this view best illustrating a marking tip shield feature; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the normal manner of manipulating the present tool in relation to an engaged fitting.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The wrench of the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, is herein shown and described as being of a type adapted for the marking of a special tubular-type of hex-headed fitting, generally designated F, characterized by a tubular shank F which is headed by a standard hex formation at F". However, it is to be understood that the tool is of course capable of use in the torsion-limited and mark-designated tightening of various other types of screw, bolt, stud or nutlike components.

The wrench 10 comprises a suitably elongated cylindrical gripping handle 12 having a reduced diameter tubular forward cup portion 13, within which it has a pivotal connection, as at a transverse through-pin 14, with the right hand adapter member 15 of a wrench head component 16 of the invention, to be further described. It is at the adapter 15 that wrench heads 16 of selected size or design may be replaceably fitted securely to and coaxially of the handle structure 12, 13.

The pivotal connection at 14 is a typical over-center type, being but schematically illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. In general it will preferably be a connection such as is illustrated in the patent to Woods mentioned above, but for the purpose of the present disclosure it may be considered as simply comprised of a reduced diameter end 17 of the adapter 15, and an annular rubber sleeve 18 resiliently compressed tightly between end 17 and the handle cup portion 13. Sleeve 18 is shown in FIG. 3 as being tightly compressed in one overcenter sense between adapter 15 and the handle 12 when a relative clockwise movement of the latter about its pivot point at 14 results from the application of handle torque in the permitted precisely limit value. Of course, any other suitable over-center torque control device is contemplated, such as will break the handle-wrench head connection at a desired precise torque limit.

The connector or adapter member 15 takes appropriately onto a tang or like end 16 of wrench head 16; and the latter is provided with the usual arcuate arrangement of hex head-engaging toothed formation 19 in its conventional laterally opening jaw 20.

It is to be understood that the wrench head 16 is of a reversible, ratchet-acting type well-known to the market; and it will in its various contemplated sizes employ a standard design of tang 16 to mount it to the over-center connected adapter 15. A set screw .21 or the like (FIG. 2) may be employed to secure the connection.

Pursuant to the invention, the wrench 10 of the invention is equipped with a marking unit, generally designated by the reference numeral 22, which parallels the tool handle 12, and the wrench head 16 as pivotally borne by the handle when in the neutral position of FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. The marker unit 22 comprises an elongated tubular holder body 23 which coaxially receives slidably a conventional type felt marker pen member 24, the latter presenting an ink-impregnated felt tip 25. Tip 25 may mount to member 24 through the agency of a collar part 26. Longitudinal adjustment of the marking pen member part 24 and refilling or replacement thereof, are made possible by a connection to holder 24 including an Allen type socket screw 27 threaded in the tubular holder wall.

The holder 24 is carried in fixed but adjustable relation to and on the reduced socket end 13 of the handle 12, as through the agency of a torque and groove type connection 28. As herein shown typically, this connection 28 may comprise a transversely extending undercut groove or way member 30 welded at 31 onto a horizontal flat 32 of the handle extension 13. This formation receives a mating transverse tongue member 33 of inverted T-shaped cross section, which member is welded or otherwise suitably secured upwardly to the bottom of the marking pen holder 23, at the rear end of the latter. A lateral positioning adjustment of the pen unit 22 relative to handle 12 and wrench head 16 is made possible by an Allen set screw 35 threaded into the tongue member 33 to engage and clamp against the groove member 30.

As thus mounted the marking unit parallels the handle 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in laterally offset relation to the axis of the latter, and is also offset at 90 degrees to a plane including the handle and wrench head 16. The marking member 24, as properly adjusted and secured in holder 23, is of sufficient length to bring the latter, in an inoperative position of the parts (FIG. 1), into an almost tangent, but still intersecting relationship to the mouth of the jaw 20 of the tool 16 in which the gripping teeth 19 are formed; and in this relationship, and as shown in FIG. 1, the felt marking tip 25 is located a bit to the rear of a diameter of the mouth, in the direction toward handle 12.

Successive rotative rachet indexings of the handle bring the fitting F, as engaged at its head F" by jaw 20 up to the required torque valve, below which will not disturb the relationship appearing in FIG. 1, in which, the tip 25 lies to one side and a bit to the rear of the axis of fitting F.

However, upon a next indexing manipulation of the handle 12, as in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, the toggle-type connection at 14 will be broken; resulting in a relatively counter-clockwise swing of tool head 16 about the pivot 14, and a wiping of the tip 25 to mark across the shank or stem F of the tubular fitting F. This identifies the latter as having been taken up torque-wise to the intended degree.

The wrench is optionally, but by preference, equipped (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5) with an arcuately contoured shield 37, a lower end of which is fitted to wrap at 38 about an outer surface of the wrench jaw 20, at which it is rigidly welded to the latter. The shield is of sufficient width to over-extend the felt tip 25 in the end-to-end sense, and it arcs upwardly and over the tip, terminating, however, radially short (FIG. 4) of the stem or shank F of the fitting. The shield thus prevents accidental marking of that element, and also protects the tip 25 from possible damage.

What is claimed is:

I. A wrench for torquing a bolt, stud or like element, comprising a jaw or like member engageable with said element to torque the latter, an operating handle or like member, a unit to apply a mark to said element indicative of the reaching of a limited torquing of thelatter, said unit being carried fixedly by one of said members for swinging motion relative to said element, as the latter is gripped by said jaw member, to apply said mark to said element, and an over-center type torque transmitting and limiting connection between said one member and its mark-applying unit and the other of said members to occasion said relative swinging motion of said unit when said limited torquing is reached.

2. A wrench for torquing a fitting element characterized by a head and an elongated stem extending axially of said head, comprising a jaw or like member engageable with said head to torque said element, an operating handle or like member, a unit to apply a mark to said element indicative of the reaching of a limited torquing of the latter, said unit being carried fixedly by one of said members for swinging motion relative to said stem of said element, as the latter is gripped at its said head by said jaw member, to apply said mark to said stem, and an over-center type torque transmitting and limiting connection between said one member and its mark-applying unit and the other of said members to occasion said relative swinging motion of said unit when said limited torquing is reached.

3. The wrench of claim 1, in which said mark-applying unit is fixedly carried by the handle member.

4. The wrench of claim 2, in which said mark-applying unit is fixedly carried by the handle member to operate in a plane of swing ofi'set from a parallel plane in which said head of the fittingelement is engaged by said jaw member.

5. he wrench of claim 4, in WhlCh said marking unit is elongated and extends forwardly of the handle member toward the point of engagement of said head by the jaw member, said unit terminating in a forward marking part normally disposed laterally to a side of the axis of said stern of the element.

6. The wrenchof claim 4, in which said marking unit is elongated and has a laterally adjustable connection to said handle member, extending substantially longitudinally forwardly of the latter toward the point of engagement of said head by the jaw member, said unit terminating in a forward marking part normally disposed laterally to a side of the axis of said stem of the element.

7. The wrench of claim 1, in which said marking unit has a felt marking tip.

8. The wrench of claim 6, in which said part of said marking unit is a felt marking tip.

9. The wrench of claim 1, in which said marking unit has a felt marking tip, and further comprising a shield fixed on siad other member to protect said tip.

10. The wrench of claim 6, in which said part of said mixing unit is a felt marking tip, and further comprising a shield fixed on said jaw member to protect said tip. I 

1. A wrench for torquing a bolt, stud or like element, comprising a jaw or like member engageable with said element to torque the latter, an operating handle or like member, a unit to apply a mark to said element indicative of the reaching of a limited torquing of the latter, said unit being carried fixedly by one of said members for swinging motion relative to said element, as the latter is gripped by said jAw member, to apply said mark to said element, and an over-center type torque transmitting and limiting connection between said one member and its mark-applying unit and the other of said members to occasion said relative swinging motion of said unit when said limited torquing is reached.
 2. A wrench for torquing a fitting element characterized by a head and an elongated stem extending axially of said head, comprising a jaw or like member engageable with said head to torque said element, an operating handle or like member, a unit to apply a mark to said element indicative of the reaching of a limited torquing of the latter, said unit being carried fixedly by one of said members for swinging motion relative to said stem of said element, as the latter is gripped at its said head by said jaw member, to apply said mark to said stem, and an over-center type torque transmitting and limiting connection between said one member and its mark-applying unit and the other of said members to occasion said relative swinging motion of said unit when said limited torquing is reached.
 3. The wrench of claim 1, in which said mark-applying unit is fixedly carried by the handle member.
 4. The wrench of claim 2, in which said mark-applying unit is fixedly carried by the handle member to operate in a plane of swing offset from a parallel plane in which said head of the fitting element is engaged by said jaw member.
 5. The wrench of claim 4, in which said marking unit is elongated and extends forwardly of the handle member toward the point of engagement of said head by the jaw member, said unit terminating in a forward marking part normally disposed laterally to a side of the axis of said stem of the element.
 6. The wrench of claim 4, in which said marking unit is elongated and has a laterally adjustable connection to said handle member, extending substantially longitudinally forwardly of the latter toward the point of engagement of said head by the jaw member, said unit terminating in a forward marking part normally disposed laterally to a side of the axis of said stem of the element.
 7. The wrench of claim 1, in which said marking unit has a felt marking tip.
 8. The wrench of claim 6, in which said part of said marking unit is a felt marking tip.
 9. The wrench of claim 1, in which said marking unit has a felt marking tip, and further comprising a shield fixed on siad other member to protect said tip.
 10. The wrench of claim 6, in which said part of said mixing unit is a felt marking tip, and further comprising a shield fixed on said jaw member to protect said tip. 